Maury County, Tennessee
Maury County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,956. Its county seat is Columbia. Maury County is included in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The county was formed in 1807 from Williamson County and Indian lands. Maury County was named in honor of Major Abram Poindexter Maury of Williamson County, who was a member of the Tennessee legislature, and an uncle of Commodore Matthew Fontaine Maury. The rich soil of Maury County led to a thriving agricultural sector, starting in the 19th century. Farmers raised cotton, tobacco and livestock (especially dairy cattle). More recently, the county has led the state in beef cattle production. Columbia Race Riot of 1946 In 1946, a race riot dubbed the "Columbia Race Riot" occurred in Columbia. A fight between James Stephenson, an African-American Navy veteran, and a white shopkeeper apparently ignited the event, and later that same day there was shooting, fighting, and rioting between whites and blacks in a part of Columbia known as "Mink Slide", a name for the African-American business district. Several people were eventually charged with rioting and attempted murder; the main attorney who arrived in Columbia to defend Stephenson in the case was Thurgood Marshall, who would later become the first black United States Supreme Court justice. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water. Adjacent counties *Williamson County (north) *Marshall County (east) *Giles County (south) *Lawrence County (southwest) *Lewis County (west) *Hickman County (northwest) National protected area *Natchez Trace Parkway (part) State protected areas *Duck River Complex State Natural Area *James K. Polk Home (state historic site) *Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area *Williamsport Wildlife Management Area *Yanahli Wildlife Management Area Demographics 2012 Estimate }} data]] As of the census of 2000, there were 69,498 people, 26,444 households, and 19,277 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile (44/km²). There were 28,674 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.39% White, 14.25% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.44% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. 3.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 26,444 households out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.03. In the county, the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $41,591, and the median income for a family was $48,010. Males had a median income of $37,675 versus $23,334 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,365. About 8.30% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 12.10% of those age 65 or over. Transportation The Maury County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located northeast of the central business district of Mount Pleasant . Federal Aviation Administration. Effective August 25, 2011. and southwest of Columbia. Communities Cities and towns *Columbia (county seat) *Mount Pleasant *Spring Hill Unincorporated communities *Carters Creek *Culleoka *Glendale *Fly *Fountain Heights *Hampshire *Hopewell *Mt. Joy *Neapolis *Santa Fe *Sawdust *Summertown *Williamsport Notable people *James Philip Eagle - the 16th Governor of the State of Arkansas See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in Maury County, Tennessee References External links *Official site *Maury County, TNGenWeb - free genealogy resources for the county * *''Columbia Daily Herald'' Category:Counties of Tennessee Category:Maury County, Tennessee Category:1807 establishments in the United States Category:Settlements established in 1807 Category:Nashville metropolitan area